St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-23
CHAPTER Xxx.


A silence, intense, horror stricken, fol.
lows on his words Miss Roche has fallen
back from him. and is now leaning
against the wall, with her hands clasped
upon her bosom, and her eyes, large and
affrighted, fixed on his.
"Stolenl" she says, the words coming
with difficulty through her white lips.
"Do they think | stole them2" She
shrinks Backward against the wall as
though she would fain sink through it,
and SO disappear forever.
ooh, no! Good heavens, No!n re
plies he. shocked 'Rut this man An.
nerley It is essential that he should be
| found and compelled to say where he got
/ them. You say you don't know his adj
! dress, bur surely it may be discovered"
'Hare they been thinking that2' says
Nadine, needless Of his last words.
| ''And YOU, have you, too She
| breaks off rs though the power to go Oh
| IS lost to her. Her blanchcd face terri
| fies him.
"My darling! Don't loot al me Ike
that. Nadine! ho is accu~,-.~ youg
! Who suspects you? Be reasonable"
Lady ENlworrh suspec-s me. | see il
oil now, though / did not understand be-
( fore why she was SO cold to me all today
She thinks most cruelty. most uniustly
Of me. Oh. what shall do?'
"Nothin9 now. Tomorrow YOU must
give US any help you can toward finding
Mr. Anncrley. No doubt. " with a quick
contraction of the brows,n he Will be
able to explain TO us in satisfactory
manner how these jewels came into his
possession"
"What q terrible situation" says Ma
dine, family. She covers her eyes with
her hands IF I had only obeyed him.
If l had followed his injunctions not to
wear these fatal ornaments. ="
ale advised you not to wear them?''
Duran's voice is sharp and keen.
Eyes. But only because he believed
them too handsome for me. just now.
when we We're both poor. Afterward,
he said, when he had made his fortune.
they wonld suit ME well.n
Did il not strike you that it was
strange for a man calling himself poor to
be able to purchase such costly thingssn
81 did not think. l seldom thought Of
him. Her tone is low and self reproach-
ful How strong is fate,n she says
presently. 'To drive me hereto COM
pei me to wear what had never worn
before. But l am not regretful," cries
she, suddenly, with touch of vehe-
mence. "He will be able to explain, of
course. And now Lady Valworth and
Millicent will get back their own"
She tears off the sapphire ornament
and throws it into Duran's palm with
shudder.
II must see Lady valworth I must
speak with her." exclaims Nadine,
eagerly. Her cheeks are burning. her
hands tremulOuS.
''Wait unTil Tomorrow
II shall not wait another moment. I
cannot live with this weight upon my
heart She presses her hands conyul.
sively against her breast. Take me to
her. she implores, family.
Seeing the excitement that is betraying
itself i'll glance and gesture, Duran draws
her hand through his arm and leads her
from the conservatory. The tea room is
now deserted, and they pass into the hall
encountering anybody. Mid
night chimes from some distant tower,
the solemn sound breaking even through
The light sparkling dance music that
'omes from the ball room on their left
and that swells and rings through the
house.
"The last train is in. am afraid Lady
Valworth will be taken up with her son.
He has surely al rived, or is on tie point
Of arriving,'' says Duran to his compan~
ion i'll a low tone. "Nevertheless, we
will try if it be possible to see her alone
for even few minutes" "
A servant gives them the information
hat her ladyship has just passed into
he library in momentary expectation OF
Capt. Boyie's arrival There they find
1er with Millicent, whom she has en~
,reated to stay with her, and Sir Thomas.
AS Maine and Duran enter Sir Thomas
s expostulating a little on his wife'S
lesertion of her guests.
"It will be but for little while, few
returns she eagerly "He
must, he will come by this train; and
Jlarissa' (Mrs. Brandy ''has taken my
'lace. l shall not be missed for half an
lour, and he is sure to come straight
lere"
She looks up rather impatiently as Ma.
line comes into the room. The girl is
white as death and trembling with agita-
ion. Going up to Lady Valworth, she
ays the sapphire pendant upon the table
lear her.
"Lady valworth,' she says gently, her
'oice low and earnest, sit is only Just
low that hive heard from Mr. Duran
bout this pointing to the sapphires.
And your diamond cross-it is upstairs
you shall have it in few moments.
But what 1 want to say is-is''- She
alters. It is evident ia her excitement
he has forgotten what it was she had ar
anged to say. "T knew nothing of it."
he breaks out at last pitifully, her large
yes fixed with mournful entreaty upon
4ady Valworth.
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